The Map I Draw - a Memoir of Travel as a Passport to Self
A Soul-Finding Trip to Rome, U2 Obsessions & A Memoir Years in the Making — Our Conversation With Heidi
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a solo trip changes your life, or how someone goes from writing legal textbooks to crafting a deeply personal travel memoir… buckle up. This week, The Bag Tag sat down with writer, traveler, and Rome enthusiast Heidi for a conversation that felt like a warm cappuccino on a cobblestone street.
Who is Heidi Brown?
Heidi K. Brown is a former lawyer, a law professor, a writer, a novice boxer, a passionate U2 fan, a proud introvert, and a feisty solo traveler. She is the author of three books about well-being and healthy performance for law students, lawyers, and other members of the legal profession: The Introverted Lawyer, Untangling Fear in Lawyering, and The Flourishing Lawyer. Heidi is an internationally recognized public speaker on topics of self-empowerment, authenticity, and self-discovery. Heidi launched her debut travel memoir, The Map I Draw: A Memoir of Travel as a Passport to Self, in June 2025.
Finding Her Soul in Rome
Heidi opened up about her first solo trip to Rome back in 2013—a post-breakup adventure her dad warned wouldn’t deliver the “soul searching” she was craving. Turns out… Rome had other plans. She described the city as a place that completely resets her: the energy, the history, the way it makes her feel grounded and expansive at the same time. It’s her spiritual tuning fork—much like New York City is for her too.
Her story highlighted the magic of solo travel: learning to navigate unfamiliar streets, picking up new languages, facing challenges head-on, and slowly discovering who you are outside your routines.
Travel as Therapy (Plus Boxing & U2)
Fun fact: Heidi is a self-proclaimed introvert, which actually makes solo travel feel natural for her. She talked about how travel became one of her four personal well-being pillars—right alongside writing, boxing, and her lifelong love for U2. Wyatt shared how travel imagery in everyday life inspires his own wanderlust, and both agreed: there’s nothing like stepping away from your usual world to refresh and reset your mind.
From Courtrooms to Chapters
Heidi’s writing journey is wild in the best way. She didn’t just switch genres—she did a full pivot. What started as writing legal textbooks turned into well-being books for stressed-out lawyers… and then, mid-pandemic, into a five-year-long journey crafting a travel memoir. The book begins and ends in Rome (naturally) and explores fear, healing, resilience, and the unexpected kindness of strangers met along the way.
Life Lessons, U2 Concerts & What’s Next
As the conversation deepened, Heidi talked about the vulnerable parts of writing her memoir—how traveling helped her process tough personal and family moments, and why sharing those stories matters. She offered practical solo-travel tips (like choosing easier first-time destinations and building little routines even abroad) and spoke about the emotional phases solo travelers often face.
Then came the U2 chapter. Heidi has been to a lot of concerts, and those experiences led to friendships and moments that changed her in ways only music lovers truly understand.
Connect with Heidi for more inspiring travel adventures and self-discovery journeys!
Website: www.heidikristinbrown.com
